Automatic fork for looms



1934. w. F. CLAYTON 1,943,002

AUTOMATIC FORK FOR LOOMS Filed Oct 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Shet 1 35'VlZzYfizmz F 51572 027 Jan. 9, 1934. w. F. CLAYTON 1,943,002

AUTOMATIC FORK FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Z3 0 e3226 llllll "I! 77 lHlll' p-u h a A? A? 26 pin,

IIJIIIIIIIIIIIQ 367 L'IIIIIIIIIIII /7 egg /8 mum F 515720 Patented Jan.9, 1934 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC FORK FOR LOOMS William F. Clayton,Huntsville, Ala., assignor of one-third to William E. James, Cullman,Ala.,

and one-third to Nephanus E.

mingham, Ala.

Application October 31, 1932.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the forks commonly used infilling-replenishing looms of the type disclosed in my United StatesPatent No. 1,787,359, December 30, 1930.

In the operation of this type of loom, it has been found thatpractically all of the thin places in the cloth woven are caused, whenthe loom is not feeding filling, by pieces or tails of filling extendingacross the intermediate tine of the threetine forks now commonly used.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the fork of machinesof this type so that the middle tine of the fork will engage the fillingwhen under tension, but will clear filling not under tension, and willthen swing to operate the usual filling-replenishing mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds. 20-

In the drawings: g

Figure l is a perspective view of a fork slide and mechanism connectedthereto for use in looms of the character referred to;

Figure 2 is a central vertical section through the improved fork andpart of the fork slide mechanism with which this invention is intendedto be used;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts of the forkin a different position;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism in the'positionillustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the improvedfork; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another element of said fork.

As shown in the drawings, the improved fork is designated generally bythe reference character 1. This fork comprises a U-shaped loop 2 havingthe ends of the legs thereof suitably secured to plates 3 and 4 whichare provided with apertures 5 and 6 respectively, adapted to receive apivot pin 7, for mounting the said plates to swing between projectingends 8 and 9 of a fork slide 10 which is mounted in the usual manner toslide on a guide 11 suitably secured to a fixed part 12 of the loom. Theplates 3 and 4 are connected at their lower parts by a cross rod 13; andhave the tines l4 and 15 depending from the lower edges thereof andfixed parallel to each other.

The pivot pin 7 not only passes through the apertures 5 and 6, but alsopasses through an aperture 16 in a head 17 which fits snugly between theinside faces of the plates 3 and 4. The head 17 is suitably bored toreceive slidably James, Bir- Serial No. 640,542

the shank 18 of an intermediate tine 19. The

upper end of the shank 18 is screwthreaded to receive the lock nuts 20and 21, respectively, by means of which the tine 19 can be adjusted andlocked in adjusted position relative'to the head 17. An arm 22 projectsforwardly from the head 17 and at its outer end is provided with adownwardly directed hook 23 adapted to be engaged by snake head 24 whichis reciprocated on the cross head 25 of the fork slide through itspivotal connection to the upper end 26 of the usual weft hammer 27.

The arm 22 is of such length as just to clear the end of the loop 2 whenit swings about the pivot '7. The lower part of the tine 19 is extendedforwardly and is then bent upwardly on itself to form a weight 28 whichco-operates with the weight of the arm 22 to cause the tine 19 toproject beyond the tines 14 and 15 when tine 19 is not contacted withthread 29 under tension.

The arm 22 is curved and shaped relative to the tine 19 so that when thetine 19 is held in alignment with the tines 14 and 15, as for example bythe pressure of a thread 29 extending along the face of all three tines,the lower edge 30 of the hook 23 will be substantially flush with theintermediate part of the loop 2. When, however, the tension of thethread 29 is relaxed and it falls by gravity from the position indicatedin Figure 2 to that indicated in Figure 3, the weight of the arm 22' andthe weight 28 will cause the arm 22 to swing downwardly into theposition shown in Figure 3 where it will be engaged by the snake head 24to effect a forward pull of the fork slide for the purpose of stoppingthe loom or of replenishing the shuttle. To operate the replenishingmechanism (not shown) the fork slide 10 is provided at its forward endwith the usual upturned hook 31 engaging a cooperating hook 32 formed inthe upper end of an arm 33 extending from the starting rod 34.

In the operation of the device, the tine 19 is preferably adjusted inthe head 1'7 so that one of the lower notches 35 in the face thereofwould normally receive the thread 29 when under tension. As soon as thistension is relaxed, the thread falls below the lower end of the tine 19permitting the said tine to rock rearwardly so as to swing its hook 23downwardly into the path of the shoulder on the snake head 24 therebyeither stopping the loom or operating the replenishing mechanism torefill the shuttle.

The invention is not to be considered as limited to forks having anyparticular number of tines. There must be at least two tines and one ofthe tines must be shorter than the other, or others, in order to clearfilling not under tension and operate the replenishing mechanism.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendantadvantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it isobvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement or" the several parts without departing from the spirit orscope of my invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages;the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purposeof illustrating my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon, a fork pivoted to oneend of said slide and having tines depending therefrom, one of saidtines being shorter than and swinging independently of the other tine,and means connected to the.

shorter tine for normally holding it further advanced than the othertine toward the grid of the loom.

2. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon, a fork pivoted to oneend of said slide and having tines swinging on said slide independentlyof each other, one of said tines being shorter than the others, andmeans connected to the shorter tine for normally holding it furtheradvanced than the other tines toward the grid of the loom.

3. A fork for a loom comprising a slotted head, a block pivoted in saidslot, a tine adjustable lengthwise in said block, tines on oppositesides of the first named tine and fixed to said head, a hook projectingforwardly from said block and adapted to be engaged by a weft hammerlatch, said tine being shorter than the other tines and weighted so asnormally to project rearwardly of the other tine.

4. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon and having one endbifurcated, a rod extending between the furcations of said slide, aslotted head pivotally mounted on said rod and having tines fixedthereto and extending downwardly therefrom, a loop extending forwardlyfrom said head, a block pivoted to said rod in the slot of said head, anarm extending forwardly from said block substantially in the plane ofsaid loop and having its free end bent downwardly to engage the wefthammer latch of said slide, and a tine extending downwardly from saidblock, said tine being shorter than the other tines of the fork.

, 5. In a loom, a fork slide reciprocable thereon and having one endbifurcated, a rod extending between the furcations of said slide, aslotted head pivotally mounted on said rod and having tines fixedthereto and extending downwardly therefrom, a loop extending forwardlyfrom said head, a block pivoted to said rod in the slot of said head, anarm extending forwardly from said block substantially in the plane ofsaid loop and having its free end bent downwardly to engage the wefthammer latch of said slide, a tine extending downwardly from said block,said tine being shorter than the other tines of the fork, and means foradjusting the last named tine lengthwise in said block.

6. In a loom, a fork comprising a head having tines fixed to anddepending therefrom, and a tine pivoted to said head to swingindependently of said tines, said tine being adjustable lengthwise tovary its effective length relative to the other tines.

I 7'. In a loom, a fork comprising a pair of plates spaced apart fromeach other, tines fixed to and extending parallel to each other fromsaid plates, a loop fixed to said plates and extending substantially atright angles to said tines, a block pivoted to swing between saidplates, a tine adjustablelengthwise in said block, and adapted to swingfreely between the other tines, and an arm extending from said blocksubstantially at right angles to said tine, said arm having a hook atits end adapted to be engaged by a latch operated by. the weft hammer ofthe loom.

WILLIAM F. CLAYTON.

